Job Discussion Forums

[baikal2.5]

I am an American who would like to teach in Russia or a Russian-speaking country, but I do not have a TEFL certification. I do have a degree, and I speak Russian.

1. Is it possible to teach English in Russia without a TEFL cert.? If so, where should I look?

2. If I do opt to get a TEFL certification, do you think I will be able to find a job pretty soon afterwards?

3. Is the job market better in Moscow or St. Petersburg (or someplace else entirely)?

Thanks!

[waxwing]

(just some opinions.. take it with a pinch of salt)

Moscow must be the best place, if you mean by best 'easiest to find a job'. Unlike China, it's not at all easy for the average native speaker to find a job without a proper qualification here. There are a few cowboy operations who will take people like that on, but expect to end up funding the jaunt partly yourself in that case - i.e. they pay badly and are unreliable.

However, your position is entirely different as you speak Russian. If, in addition to that, you have contacts, then you can probably find a way to set yourself up as a teacher (part time, full time or privates) virtually anywhere. Only in Moscow and maybe St Pete's can you make good money though.

PS. I just noticed something .. you said 'I speak Russian', but what does that mean? Are you a native speaker in some sense, or..?

[zaneth]

I'd pretty much second what waxwing said. You could work anywhere, but could make money in Moscow. What kind of a degree do you have? Do you have a regular school teaching certificate? For a lot of places this might count for more than the TEFL. Do you have business or scientific experience? A specialty? Let us know more about your background.

[baikal2.5]

My background: I have a B.A. with a double-major in anthropology and Russian. I don't have teaching qualifications, and my only teaching experience is as a volunteer GED and literacy teacher.

I'd like to revise my question: If I wanted to get a TEFL cert. and hope to teach in Russia sometime this academic year, what should I do?

-Are contracts usually available in October, or only for the spring semester?
-Should I put much faith in the "employment support" of TEFL-granting schools in Russia, like Via Lingua? I'd need to find a job pretty soon after I finished a course.

Thanks,
AG

[waxwing]

I don't know about Via Lingua, but if you're going to get a CELTA or TESOL in Moscow or St Pete's, you shouldn't have any problem finding a position - depending how fussy you are, of course - with or without 'support'.

Edit: it should be CELTA or Trinity TESOL, nothing else. People often talk about 'TEFL cert.' but only these two certificates are valued here.

Your Russian probably isn't going to make much difference, now you've clarified. It will just oil the wheels a bit. Of course it's a plus.

Timing: any time except now is OK for looking for a job. Early September is best (for actually starting - but if you were arranging a job outside the country, you'd start looking 2 months before, because visas .. не очень легко, let's say), but it's still 'peak' season I suppose all the way through October, because not all planned positions are filled immediately. That's what I hear anyway. I was looking late last October and found something without too much trouble (I wasn't better qualified than you - worse, arguably); but I wasn't very fussy.

[zaneth]

I think you'll be fine. Have you ever been here before?

[baikal2.5]

Yeah, I studied abroad in St. Petersburg.

[scot47]

I thoiught St Petersburg was in Russia. Now you tell me it is "abroad". I am confused.

[Communist Smurf]

[scot47]

But America is abroad ! How can this be ?

[Communist Smurf]